As described above, this new primer feed system is both accurate and consistent. The primer feed station begins by loading primers from the vendor packaging into the vibratory feed bowl via the primer chute. The bowl has an adjustable height polycarbonate guard that is inside the main safety polycarbonate doors and exits above the machine. The bowl then orients the primers open side up and discharges them into the primer track. Crimping can be done with 3 or 5 pins or a complete radial crimp. Previous versions of the crimp station on these crimping machines involved a pin mounted to the upper ram and a lower pin actuated by the lower ram. It was difficult to time and adjust properly for a consistent crimp. This new approach to crimping has proved much more reliable, accurate and easier to adjust. It still utilizes an upper pin mounted to the upper moving ram assembly but the lower pin is fixed.

A covered projectile that includes a projectile having a nose portion, a middle portion, a rear portion, and a plurality of fins extending outwardly from the rear portion, and a jacket that surrounds at least a portion of the projectile and includes an exterior surface and an interior surface. The jacket includes a front cone. A plurality of annular grooves are defined in the exterior surface of the jacket.

A bullet seating die for assembling shoulder breeching rifle cartridges that aligns the bullet co-axial with the case shoulder. Bullet seating depth is set relative to the datum line of the case shoulder and is adjustable. Shoulder breeching rifle cartridges use the shoulder, exclusively, to position the cartridge in the chamber. Therefore, cartridges assembled with this die will position the bullet concentric with the bore of the barrel and at a set distance from the bore with greater precision and consistency than cartridges produced by die of previous designs.

Devices and methods facilitate a precise, measured amount of adjustment to a die used for the reloading of ammunition cartridges. A lock ring assembly and notched threads generate audible or tactile user feedback, preferably in the form of clicks as the lock ring advances by a precise, predetermined amount axially relative to a die body. The lock ring assembly may be a unified structure, wherein the entire lock ring assembly turns as a unit. In this embodiment, one or more ball detents in the lock ring assembly interact with notched threads on a proprietary die body. Alternatively, the lock ring assembly may be a two-part assembly that can be used with existing threaded dies with continuous un-notched threads. The die body, whether notched or not, may be used in any reloading application in standard presses, including cartridge sizing, crimping, bullet seating, or case mouth belling.

A progressive press for loading or reloading ammunition casings has a base containing a reversible press motor with speed control, and vertically-oriented nuts mechanically connected to the motor and having vertically-oriented power screws extending from the nuts. The screws are affixed to a tool head which can receive dies and other tools for loading and/or reloading ammunition casings. A rotatable shell plate receives ammunition casings and advances the casings through a series of operations performed by different dies and other tools. Using a control system, the press motor can be operated to extend the screws and lift the tool head when the shell plate is advanced, and to retract the screws and tool head to perform operations on the casings when the shell plate is stationary.

The invention relates to an automated progressive ammunition, in particular cartridge, assembly apparatus (1) and method. The automated progressive ammunition assembly apparatus (1) according to the invention comprises a conveyor subsystem (4) and at least one assembly station (5). The at least one assembly station (5) comprises an actuator subsystem (8), a measurement subsystem (12) and a control subsystem (13). The conveyor subsystem (4) is adapted to transport the ammunition (2, 3) past the at least one assembly station (5) in an assembly direction (6) preferably along a rectilinear path. The actuator subsystem (8) is adapted to move a component (9), such as a powder or propellant (10) or a projectile (11), thereby adding the component to the ammunition. The component thus changes at least one physical parameter (P) of the ammunition. The measurement subsystem (12) is adapted to measure the at least one physical parameter and output a measurement signal (15), representative of the at least one physical parameter. In order to be able to meet very tight product specifications, and at the same time allow a quick change between the manufacture of different types of ammunition using the same apparatus (1), the subsystem (21) is adapted to control the actuator subsystem (8) depending on the measurement signal. The at least one assembly station (5) may, in particular, be a powder filling station (18) or a projectile insertion station (27) where powder (10) or a projectile (11) is added to the ammunition.

The invention relates to ammunition assembly apparatus and in particular to an apparatus for the automated and progressive assembly of cartridges for firearms such as rifles, guns, revolvers and pistols. The apparatus comprises a conveyor subsystem to transport ammunition past the working stations, wherein the working stations and the conveyor subsystem are mounted to a mounting plane such that the conveyor subsystem extends linearly at least sectionwise through the ammunition assembly apparatus and the working stations are arranged rectilinearly along the assembly direction.

Devices and methods facilitate a precise, measured amount of adjustment to a die used for the reloading of ammunition cartridges. A lock ring assembly and notched threads generate audible or tactile user feedback, preferably in the form of clicks as the lock ring advances by a precise, predetermined amount axially relative to a die body. The lock ring assembly may be a unified structure, wherein the entire lock ring assembly turns as a unit. In this embodiment, one or more ball detents in the lock ring assembly interact with notched threads on a proprietary die body. Alternatively, the lock ring assembly may be a two-part assembly that can be used with existing threaded dies with continuous un-notched threads. The die body, whether notched or not, may be used in any reloading application in standard presses, including cartridge sizing, crimping, bullet seating, or case mouth belling.

A progressive press for loading or reloading ammunition casings has a base containing a reversible press motor with speed control, and vertically-oriented nuts mechanically connected to the motor and having vertically-oriented power screws extending from the nuts. The screws are affixed to a tool head which can receive dies and other tools for loading and/or reloading ammunition casings. A rotatable shell plate receives ammunition casings and advances the casings through a series of operations performed by different dies and other tools. Using a control system, the press motor can be operated to extend the screws and lift the tool head when the shell plate is advanced, and to retract the screws and tool head to perform operations on the casings when the shell plate is stationary.

A crimping die assembly for crimping a cartridge is provided that includes a casing and a bullet seated in the casing. The crimping die assembly includes a die body with a longitudinal axis, an elongated cavity disposed along the longitudinal axis, a cartridge receiver opening for receiving the cartridge, disposed at a first end of the die body, and opening into to the elongated cavity, a crimping bushing for crimping the casing onto the bullet, disposed within the elongated cavity and translatable therein along the longitudinal axis, and a compliant member disposed at least partially within the elongated cavity for urging the crimping bushing toward the cartridge receiver opening.